Kitchen ranges commonly have a stovetop with several individual burners upon which cooking utensils may be set for cooking their contents. The burners are usually either electric or gas. Where they are electric they commonly have an electric resistance heating element in the shape of a flat spiral or coil. A cooking utensil such as a pot or pan is set directly on the heating element. Gas burners usually have an annular jet that is recessed below a support grill upon which the cooking utensil is set.
Being hot, stovetop burners inherently are hazardous. One may touch the electric heating element not realizing that it is hot. The flame from a gas jet may actually ignite the sleeve of a garment. More importantly, a hot pot or pan may be tipped by accidental contact with its handle. Small children may reach up and grab a pot handle and cause the pot to tip and its contents to pour. Handicapped people, such as those confined to wheelchairs, also are susceptible to such accidents. In some cases even large dogs have been known to have done this. When this occurs, not only may the hot utensil contact and burn the child, adult or pet, its hot contents can also make such bodily contact.
It thus is seen that a need exists for safer stovetop burners. Accordingly, it is to the provision of such that the present invention is primarily directed.